For years, obtaining Colorado Pioneer Plates seemed like a badge of honor reserved for the select few who could meticulously trace their ancestry back to the state’s earliest days. Michael Adams, a computer technician from Brighton, certainly thought so. He spent weeks digging through historical documents, determined to prove his lineage and secure one of these distinctive license plates. He believed these plates, emblazoned with the word “Pioneer,” were a testament to his family’s deep Colorado roots, requiring concrete evidence like birth certificates, property deeds, or census records to prove a relative resided in Colorado at least a century ago.
However, as Adams discovered, the reality is now quite different. The Colorado Department of Revenue has quietly removed the stringent proof requirement, meaning anyone can acquire a Pioneer Plate, regardless of their family history. This revelation left Adams feeling, as he shared with The Denver Post, that he doesn’t “feel special anymore.”
The change, according to department spokesman Mark Couch, actually occurred two years prior. The Department of Revenue realized that demanding proof of pioneer lineage was legally unfounded. Unlike other specialty plates with specific eligibility criteria driven by sponsoring organizations, the Pioneer Plate had no such legally mandated restrictions attached to its initial legislation. Plates like those for Denver Firefighters, Raptor Education, or the Elks Club retain their specific requirements because their sponsoring groups actively incorporated those rules into the license plate laws.
In related license plate news, the pink “Committed to a Cure” plates, designed to raise awareness for cancer, are being discontinued, as reported by 9News. The women who initiated the plate program are seeking to redirect funds to directly support their cause. A new iteration of the pink plate is planned, which will include a $25 surcharge earmarked for providing treatment to uninsured women battling breast or cervical cancer.
While the shift in Pioneer Plate accessibility may disappoint those who undertook extensive genealogical research, it simplifies the process for anyone wanting to display a symbol of Colorado’s pioneering spirit on their vehicle.
